The Role of Brand Image in Individuals' Hospital Preferences

The primary aim of this study is to reveal the determinant role of brand image in individuals’ hospital preferences. Accordingly, data were collected from 400 participants aged 18 and above residing in Konya. The research employed the Brand Image Scale, originally developed by Wu (2011) and adapted to the Turkish context by Tuzcuoğlu & Erdem (2021), together with the Private Hospital Preference Scale, developed by Metin (2012) and later dimensioned by Yağar and Soysal (2017). Data analysis was performed using the SPSS software, applying one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), t-test, and Pearson correlation analysis. Demographic findings show that 54.5% of participants were female, 50.2% were married, and 43.3% were between the ages of 31 and 45. Regarding education, 27.3% held a bachelor’s degree, 23.8% were high school graduates, and 13.5% completed primary or secondary school. In terms of occupation, civil servants accounted for the highest share with 32.3%, followed by workers with 10%. The results demonstrate a statistically significant and moderately positive relationship between brand image perceptions and hospital preferences. Furthermore, brand image showed high and moderate positive correlations with the sub-dimensions of the hospital preference scale, namely institutional characteristics and promotion. Overall, the findings indicate that brand image in the healthcare sector is not merely a perceptual element but serves as a strategic determinant in individuals’ decision-making processes.